


The Herald of Andraste

by broodywolf



Series: Worth Fighting For [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-05-02 10:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5244191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broodywolf/pseuds/broodywolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andraste's Herald is not what Cullen expected, but maybe she's exactly what she needs to be.</p><p>Originally from a prompt on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Herald of Andraste

_The Herald of Andraste_ , the people whispered.

The people had faith.

Cullen had forgotten how to have faith.

He tried, still. He visited the Chantry. He prayed as he always had. Try as he might, the convictions he’d held as a young man fled at the sight of the things he’d witnessed. Perhaps it wasn’t his fault, he reasoned. The world had not given him much to have faith in, after all.

He’d seen her, of course, before the attempt at sealing the Breach had left her unconscious. Alyx Trevelyan, she said, pronouncing her surname as though it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She’d been snarky, sarcastic, her refusal to take the situation seriously reminding him forcefully of another now infamous apostate. Her shoulders sagged, though, and she was wary in a way that Hawke had never been. But Hawke had never known the Circle.

Alyx had caught him watching her, then. She’d stared back with ice in her gaze before turning and charging ahead.

This was no Herald of the faithful, he thought sadly. Just another apostate. Just a woman looking to survive.

—

 _She’s awake!_ the people cried. _The Herald of Andraste!_

She did not look at him this time. She nodded politely when he was introduced, but her gaze slid right past him. The attitude hadn’t changed; she joked at inappropriate times, giving a smug grin at Josephine’s startled reaction. Yet, she swore to do whatever was in her power to help. They arranged for her to leave for the Hinterlands on the morrow.

Maybe she wasn’t the Herald of Andraste. But if it helped the people to believe, then let them, he thought.

—

 _The Herald has returned!_ the people cheered.

The people had hope.

She and her companions rode into Haven amidst a gathering crowd, a wagon full of supplies behind them. Her head was tilted back in laughter at something Varric had said, a genuine smile lighting up her face. He saw that smile reflected in the crowd around them, the people’s spirits lifted by her laughter. By her very presence. She was beautiful, he realized.

She dismounted, and eagerly began hoisting bundles of blankets and baskets full of food from the wagon. He watched her talking to people as she worked, laughing. He watched as she distributed the blankets, smiling warmly at each recipient. She grinned at a little boy, and reached around to pull a small toy out of her pocket, a simple doll with a tiny wooden sword. The boy beamed and ran off, gesturing wildly with the new toy, slaying invisible enemies. Alyx smiled, watching him go.

She was radiant. It was like feeling the sun on his skin after too many years of rain.

Maybe she was the Herald of Andraste. If it helped the people to believe it, then let them.

Cullen needed no blessing from Andraste or the Maker to have faith in _her_.


End file.
